Washing machine



'| ZIMARIK 2,175,936

WASHING MACHINE Oct. 10, 1939.

Filed Juhe 19, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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. Patented e 10, 1939 WASHING MACHINE Louis Zimarik, Syracuse, N. Y.,assignor to The Prosperity Company, Inc.,' Syracuse, N. Y., a.corporation of New York Application June 19, 1935, Serial No. 27,370

, k 13 Claims This invention relates to washing machines of the type inwhich the clothes container is a drum, or in the general form of a:drum,'or hydrowheel, movable about an axis in the casing in 5 which acleaning fluid is placed to a given level,

and has for its object a means, or an arrangement of the drum and thecasing, which means, during movement of the drum about its axis, causesthe fluid to be carried around the drum, and in addition forced radiallyinward through the perforated wall of the drum into-the interior thereoffrom the space between the drum and "f the casing. Y

The cleaning fluid used in a washing operation isfilled into the casingto a level' considerably below the axis of the container, therebyproviding a relatively low level of cleaning fluid within the casin'g.-It will be seen, therefore, that'less cleaning fluid is required in thepresent machine as compared to washing machines now on the market usinga relativelyhigh level of cleaning fluid which extends substantially tothe axis of the container and consequently requiring the use ofconsiderably more cleaning fluid in order to fill thewashing machine tosubstantially the axis of rotation ofthe container. In the presentwashing machinethe use ofless cleaning fluid results in considerablesavings of water, detergents and other cleaning fluids, but due to thecharacteristics of the machine the clothes or other material therein arethoroughly cleansed,

- in a minimum amount of time.

reticulated, and means for causing the fl uid to be forced inward intothe drum while being car: ried through the space around the drum duringthe movement of the drum about its axis.

The washing fluid maybe water, with or with- 5 out soap, or chemicals,or a dry cleaning solvent. The casing is preferably in the general formof a complete cylinder and preferably arranged with its axis extendinghorizontally.

l designates the stationary, cylindrical, hori- 10 zontal casing mountedon a; suitable base 2.

3 is the clothes container, drum, cage, or hyi dro-wheel, mounted in thecasing to move about a horizontal axis A. During the washing opera- 1'Ilhe invention consists in the novel features and in e combinations andconstructions here- 35- inafter set forth and claimed.

.In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings inwhiclr like 40 Figure 1 is a. perspective view, partly insection,

of a washing machine embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged,- transverse, sectional vlew'through the clothescontainer drum, or hy- *dro-wheel, the casing and contiguous parts ofthebase ofthe machine being 1.50 shown.

I Flgures3and4areviewssimilartol igure-2 of other embodiments of theinvention shown in Figure 2.

Insofar as this invention is concerned, the m- 50 chine comprises acasing for receivinga washing fluid, solvent etc., to a given level bypartly submerging the clothes in the container, or drum,

with a space around the drum between it and the casing, the drum beingrotatable about an ,tion, the drum isoscillated aboutits axis, or 15moved several times in one direction about its axis, and then severaltimes in the other direction, this turning first in one and then in theother direction being repeated throughout the washing period, oroperation. The drum 3, or 20 at least the circumferential wall thereof,is fo-' raminous, or formed with slots or perforations, and the termperforated is used in its general sense, and intended to comprehend anyopen work, or mesh, constructiom wherein thewall 25 of thedrumpermitsthefluid topassasfreelyas possible. therethrough. As here shown,the drum is formed of sheet metal having perforations 5 therethroughlocated close together. The perforated cylindrical wall of the drum isalso 30 formed with inwardly extending hollow perforated ribs, orbuckets 3 which facilitate the lifting and tumbling of the clothesduring the movement oithe drum about its axis. The ribs 7 extendlengthwise of the drum from end to end 88 'and the space between thehollow walls thereof open through the periphery of the cylindrical wallforming an inlet for a copious supply of fluid lifted or circulated upthrough the passages on opposite sides of the drum. 4 The ribs orbuckets 4o also'provide means whereby the cleaning fluid is forcedtherethrough directLv-upon the clothes or other material in the drum.The drum is also formed with peripheral blades or paddles I which act tocarry, or pump, the fluid upward from the bottom portion of the casingaround the drum, as the drum moves in one direction or the other. aboutits axis.

' The forcing of fluid radially inward into the drum through theforaminous perforated, or reticulated, wall of the drum as the fluid iscarried, or pumped, upward around the drum by w the movement of the drumabout its axis, includes meansasawallofthecasinglocatednearerthe 5: axisand being ioraminous, tar-perforated, or} of the drum than the.remainder of the casing, so that it restricts the passage of the fluidthrough the space around the container on one side, as the upper side ofthe drum, so that due to the restriction, the fluid is forced, orsqueezed, radially inward to the drum against the centrifugal forceimparted to the fluid. The pressure of the fluid is greatly increased bythe pumping action of the drum, due to the paddles 7.

In the construction shown in Figure 2, the restricted passages 8 areprovided on opposite sides of the drum by the upper portion 9 of thcylindrical wall of the casing being located nearer the axis A of thedrum than the remainder, of said wall of the casing, and this isaccomplished by mounting the drum with its axis A eccentric to and abovethe axis B of the cylindrical casing.

In Figure 3, the drum is mounted concentric with the axis of the casing,but the restriction of the passages 8 is efiected by providing anarcuate wall, partition or plate Ill around the upper side of the drum,the center of the arc of this partition or plate being below tlfe commonaxis of the casing and the drum.

In Figure 4, a bafiie, or partition H is shown in the casing above thedrum to restrict the passages 8, this bailie, or partition being shownas a fiat plate located in the chord of an arc of the curve of thecasing.

Also, as shown in Figure 4, the means for forcing the fluid radiallyinward into the drum may-comprise, or include, a series of deflectorsl2, l3, l4, 15, secured to the wall of the casing on opposite sides of avertical plane containing the axis, or axes, of the drum and casing, theinner edge of each deflector terminating nearer the periphery'of thedrum than the preceding deflector of the series from the lowermostdeflector l2 of each series toward the uppermost deflector Hi.

The casing is here shown as formed with an axial loading and unloadingdoor l6 which is alined with an axial door, or door opening in one headof the drum. The drum is supported in the casing and actuated in anysuitable manner. Neither the door, nor the supporting and actuatingmechanism of the drum, form part of this invention.

In any form of the invention; during the rotation of the clothescontainer, the fluid is carried from the lower portion of the casing lupwardly above the normal level of the fluid into one or the other ofthe contracting passages where it is forced or squeezed radially throughthe perforated periphery of the container into the container and ontothe clothes, this forcing-in operation taking place for the most part inthe upper portion of the container, adjacent to where it runs closest tothe top wall of the casing.

In operation, the fluid is filled into the lower portion of the casingto a level L, a considerable distance below the axis of the container.'During movement of the drum about its axis, the fluid is carried fromthe lower, or sump portion of the casing up one or the other of thepassages 8, and during its movement through either of these passages isforced inward through the perforations of the casing, due to therestriction of these passages at the upper portion of the'casing.lightzis invention, the washing operation is gre 1y facilitated due tothe forcing action of the d radially inward directly upon the clothes orother material in the drum.

What I claim is:

In a washing machine, a cylindrical casing for receiving a cleaningfluid, a cylindrical container of relatively large diameter mounted inthe casing to provide tapering substantially arcuate passages betweenthe exterior container wall and the inside wall of the casing at eachside of the container, the periphery of the container being perforated,said perforations being substantially over the entire circumferentialarea,

closures for the ends of the container, a plurality of spaced buckets,each having an opening substantially flush with the walls of thecontainer and extending radially inwardly a substantial distance, thewalls of the bucketsbeing perforated substantially throughout their areaand providing continuous, simultaneous spraying of liquid from theexterior walls of the buckets inwardly thereof and also through theperforated walls of the container intermediate of the buckets, wherebythere is a continuous spraying through the walls of the container andthe buckets during the rotation of the container in one direction or theother.

2. A washing machine as described in and by claim 1 wherein radiallyoutwardly extending paddles are formed on the container wallintermediate of the buckets.

3. A washing machine as described in and by claim- 1 wherein paddles areformed on the container wall intermediate of the buckets, the saidpaddles being integral with and a part of the container wall andextending radially outwardly 5 a horizontal axis, the container and thecasing being arranged relative to each other to provide passages onopposite sides of the container, the outer walls of which passagescontract toward the periphery of the container and force the liquidinwardly through the perforations of the container d lring rotation ofthe container about its axis in one direction or the other, the lowerportion of the casing serving as a sump for the cleaning liquid andbeing free of obstruction, whereby the liquid is carried up into one orthe other of said passages during the rotation of the drum and forcedradially inward by the outer walls of said passages.

5. In a washing machine, a casing for receiving a cleaning liquid, aperforated container casing between the interior wall of the casing andthe exterior wall'of the container, the said partition being arranged soas to provide passages on opposite sides ofthe container, the

outer walls of which passages contract toward! the periphery of thecontainer and force the liquid inwardly through the container duringrotation of the container about its axis in one direction or the other,the lower portion of the casing serving as a sump for the cleaningliquid and being freeof obstruction, whereby the liquid is carried upinto one or the other of said passages during the rotation of the drumand forced radially inward by the outer walls of said passages, andenabling use of a low liquid level of the cleaning liquid in the casing.

6. A washing machine as defined in and by claim 5 wherein, spacedperforated buckets are provided in the container and extend radiallyinwardly thereof. 7

'L A washing machine as defined in and by claim 5 wherein, radiallyoutwardly extending spaced paddles are provided'on the exterior wall ofthe container.

8. In a washing machine, a casing for receiving a cleaning liquid, aperforated container mounted in the casing to move about a horizontalaxis, spaced perforated buckets extending radially inwardly of thecontainer, spaced paddles extending radially outwardly of the container,

a partition in the upper part of the casing between the interior wall ofthe casing and the exterior wall of the container, the said partitionbeing arranged so as to provide passages on opposite sides of thecontainer, the outer walls 'of which passages-contract toward theperiphcry of the container and force the liquid inwardly through thecontainer and buckets during rotation of the container about its axis inone direc-- tion or the other, the lower portion of the casing servingas a sump for the cleaning liquid and being free of obstruction, wherebythe liquid is carried up into one or the other of said passages duringthe rotation of the drum and forced radially inward by the outer wallsof said passages, and enabling use of a low liquid level of the cleaningliquid in the casing. Y

4 9. In a washing machine, a casing for receiving a cleaning liquid, aperforated container mounted in the casing to move about a horizontalaxis, a partition in theupper part of the '30 casing between theinterior wall of the casing 40 being free of obstruction, whereby theliquid is carried up into one or the other of said passages during therotation of the drum and forced radially inward by the outer walls ofsaid passages, and deflectors positioned on the horizontally dia- 45metrically opposite interior wallsof the casing below'the said partitionto provide additional contracting passages for forcing the liquidinwardly through the container during rotation thereof about its axis inone direction or. the

0 other, and enabling use of a low liquid level of the cleaning fluid inthe casing.

10. A washing machine as defined in and by claim 9 wherein, spacedperforated buckets are provided in the container and extend radially 55inwardly thereof.

11. A washing machine as defined in and by claim 9 wherein, radiallyoutwardly extending spaced paddles are provided on the exterior wall ofthe container.

12. In a washing machine, a casing for receiving a cleaning liquid, aperforated container mounted in thecasing to move about a horizontalaxis, spaced perforated buckets extending radially inwardly of thecontainer, spaced paddles extending radially outwardly of the container,a partition in the upper part of the casing between the interior wall ofthe casing and the exterior wall of the container, the said partitionbeing arranged so as to provide passages on opposite sides of thecontainer, the outer walls of which passages contract toward theperiphery of the container and force the liquid inwardly through thecontainer and buckets during rotation of the container about its axis inone direction or the other, .thelower portion of the casing serving as asump for the cleaning liquid and being free ofobstruction, whereby theliquid is the cleaning fluid in the casing.

13. In a washing machine, a casing for receiving a cleaning liquid, aperforated cylindrical container mounted in the casing to move about ahorizontalaxis, the container and the casing being arranged relative toeach other to provide passages on opposite sides of the container, theouter walls of which passages contract toward the periphery of thecontainer and force the liquid inwardly through the perforations of thecontainer during rotation of the container about its axis in onedirection or the other, the lower portion of 'the casing serving as asump for the cleaning liquid and being free of obstruction, whereby theliquid is carried up into one or the other of said passages during therotation of the drum and forced radially inward by the outer walls ofsaid passages, and enabling use of a low liquid level of the cleaningliquid in the casing. I

LOUIS ZIMIARIK.

